Historical Snippet

History, meaning, & symbolism are often confused or changed by times and ignorance.

The Vampire Hunter's Guide (Part 4 Vampire Types N-P)

"Nachzehrer",

"Northern Germany and Western Russia","as a human at first, then later a shambling undead. The corpse holds the thumb of one hand in the other, and always keeps one eye open. As it 'ages' it will look more and more hidious as it eats first it's own clothes (shroud), then it's own flesh,( transferring the pain to it's relatives). Some legends say these feinds also tie cows tails together as pranks, making it's existance known.","placing a coin or rock in it's mouth,placing a lump of earth under it's chin (so it cannot open it's mouth), keeping it's from eating it's own flesh. For the less squeemish, cutting off it's head.","its own relatives, any who it casts it's shadow on, and any who hear church bells when it rings them. ","flesh and life energy","is created by being born with teeth, or a second skin (a 'caul'), death by drowning, after death, this person will become a vampire."

"Nelapsi",

"Slovakia, Russia","a corpse notable by it's lack of rigor, an almost living colored face, open eyes, and 2 curls in its hair.","burial with coins and enchanted herbs, christian symbols inside coffin, millit or poppy seed poured in the mouth and nose and along the path of the funeral. Nailing the limbs to the coffin and impaling the head or heart with a hatpin or hawthorn stake. It is also vulnerable to fire made by rubbing dticks together","any living thing, people, animals, crops. Any being that it sees from the top of a church tower.","blood and flesh",

"NESFARATU, Nosferatu",

"Germany"," similar to the classic vampire with the exception of the drawn and albino appearance. The teeth of the Nesfaratu are two sharp teeth in the front center of the mouth (resembling a rabbit). Can change into dogs, cats toads, louse, fleas and spiders ","standard","front teeth are used for ripping open the throat rather than sucking the blood. Like a true Vampire Bat, after ripping the throat open the vampire will then lick up all the blood","Blood, sex","Thes creatures are oftern either the illigitimate children of illigitimate aprents, or the seventh sons of seventh sons."

The German vampyre or the NESFARATU are similar to the classic vampire with the exception of the drawn and albino appearance. The teeth of the Nesfaratu are two sharp teeth in the front center of the mouth (resembling a rabbit) and are used for ripping open the throat rather than sucking the blood through. Like a true Vampire Bat, after ripping the throat open the vampire will then lick up all the blood as it comes out. Forensic evidence will not give the two small wounds in the neck, and there will be some blood left over around the victim and some saliva mixed into the blood.

"Neuntoter",

"Pomerania",,"decapitation will destroy them if it is done between 11pm and Midnight.",,"flesh and blood, and spreading plagues","if a child is born with a full set of teeth, after death they will become a Neuntoter. Other legends say that any wealthy infant that dies will become a Neuntoter"

"Neuntter",

"Germany","an animated corpse","a lemon placed in it's mouth","all living things ","blood","it rises from it's grave after 9 days (hence the name 'nine killer') this creature becomes a full vampire bringing about plagues and epidemics as it kills"

"Obayifo",

"West Africa (Ashanti)","a normal person that has the ability leave it's body at night and hunt. The person will appear to have an obsession with food, and very shifty eyes. As it hunts the vampire has a glow around it.","during the day, as a normal person, the obayifo has all the weaknesses of any man","children and crops","blood of children and sap or vital juices of plants","The Obayifo is a magician or sorcerer. He becomes a vampire by magical means."

"Oburs",

"Karachay","witches that transform into the shape of a cat and ride flying brooms",,"any unsuspecting victim","blood ","Like the Phillipino Aswang, these withces rub themselves with a salve and transform into their hunting form."

"Ogoljen",

"Bohemia",,"They can be stopped by placing some dirt from their tombs into their navels while they rest. They can also be stopped by burying them at a crossroads","people","blood and flesh",

"Paret,Pret,Pretni",

"India","a small ghostlike being, often about an 2 inches or so tall, that floats around wandering the world.",,"will often not attack anyone if it is kept fed, but if angered or neglected, it will become a very dangerous creature","milk, food, drink, blood","a disembodied soul of a child that died in childbirth, or a child that was deformed. After death this child's soul wanders the earth for a year as a vampire spirit, sometimes good, sometimes evil."

"Pelesit and Polong",

"Malaysia","Pelisit-looks like a cricket
Polong- Looks like a small woman (up to about an inch tall)","being bottled, magic charms, and burial. Some women are adept at finding these creatures and bottling them. Deny a Polong it's victim, and it will look to it's summoner for blood. A polong can be turned against it's summoner ","any person that their summoner (master) tells them to attack","saffron rice and blood","these demons are summoned by evil mages. The blood of a murdered man is left in a bottle for 2 weeks with certain magic words, & the polong groes in it. It is kept alive by it's masters blood unitl it is used. The Pelisit prepares a victim for it's master, the Polong, who then enters the body and makes the victim go insane and soon die."

"Penanggalan, Hantu Penanggalan",

"Malaysia","a female undead creature. The Penanggalan flies around as a head and intestines (with a slight glow to the intestines) as it hunts at night. It constantly drips blood and caustic liquids from itself as it flies.","thistles, sharp thorns (often from a plant called the jeruju or jenyu) can trap the vampires by catching the intestines as it tries to enter. There the Penanggalan is trapped until daylight when it can be destroyed.","mostly children or women in labor, but will also attack men","blood","a woman dying in child birth or being surprised by a man during a religious pennance may become a penanggalan. Other legends say a Penanggalen is a witch with the power to transform into this beast"

"Pigucen",

"Chile","a snake that can transform into a frog",,"any happless victim","blood",

"Pijavica or Pijawica",

"Yugoslavia, Austria, Italy, Croatia","vampiric humans, animated corpses","cut off it's head and place it between it's legs or under its arms.","any person that gets in it's path.","blood","these undead creatures are evil men during lifetime, and in death they find no peace, they become vampires. These creatures were often alcoholics in life"

"Pisacha, Kravyad, Yakshaw, Pisaca",

"India","undead beings that haunt crossroads, royal roads, doorways, or cremation grounds. seeing a Pisaca omens your death within 9 months",,"recently dead, and those living that anger it.","feed on the flesh of recently dead and the flesh and blood of any who anger it, and rice","people who died resulting from their own evil deeds or insanity. After death, these creatures These creatures are masters of illness as well, being able to create (or cure) almost any disease."

"Ponti-anak, Mati-anak, Pontianak",

"Malaysia","a small infant vampire.
other legends say it is a woman that died in childbirth with talonlike fingers that it uses like daggers","To prevent becoming a ponti-anak or Mati-anak, place glass beads in the corpse's mouth, eggs under the armpits, and needles in the palm of its hands.","children, (some legends say pregnant women are also prey)","blood","this creature is the spirit of child stillborn from a female in Malaysia or a woman who died in childbirth."